Convector space trays



vUnited States Patent O 3,160,405 CONVECTOR SPACE TRAYS Augustus A.Straub, Cleveland, Dhio, assignor to A. A. Straub Co., Inc.

Filed Aug. 18, 1953, Ser. No. 374,924 2 Claims. (Cl. 263-47) The presentinvention relates generally to the annealing art and is, moreparticularly, concerned with a novel con- Vector space tray to bedisposed between adjacent stacked coils of metal stock during annealingand to facilitate lifting and carrying of stacked coils and trays easilyand safely.

Coils of steel strip and wire stock ordinarily require heat treatmentand a generally satisfactory procedure for carrying out such treatmenthas been devised and is presently in general use. This procedureconsists of stacking the coils with spacing means of some type disposedbetween -adjacent coils to prevent their sticking together and tofacilitate the ilow of gaseous heating medium transversely ofthe coilstack and under ideal circumstances longitudinally through the stackedbodies in accordance with the invention disclosed and claimed in my U.S.Patent No. 2,607,577, granted August 19, 1952. These stacks of coils andspacer elements are housed within bells in a furnace and heat istransferred by a gaseous medium owing into the bells in contact with thebell walls and the coils. This procedure, however, has a seriousdrawback in that an excessive amount of time and effort is required inthe stacking and unstacking operations.

In accordance with the present invention, coils and spacer elementstacking operations by means of the apparatus disclosed in U.S. PatentNo. 2,701,736, granted February 8, 1955, to Max R. Heppenstall areeasily carried out without involving any special expensive procedures orequipment. tained in accordnace with this invention at only a small costin the manufacture of spacer plates of my aforesaid patent as well asthose of the prior art and at only a small increase in weight in theseplates. In addition, the present invention is adaptable readily for usewith and application to all types of convector space trays and isuniversally advantageous and effective.

Those skilled in the art will gain a further and better understanding ofthe present invention from the following detailed description, referencebeing had to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of thisspecification in which: f

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, plan view of a tray embodying the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is afragmentary, sectional view taken on line 2 2 of FIG.v 1; y

FIG. 3 is a view like FIG. 2 of a tray embodying another form of thisinvention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of the FIG. 3 tray;

FIG. 5 is a view like FIG. 2 of a tray embodying a third form of thisinvention;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional View of the tray of FIG.5;

FIG. 7 is a view like FIG. 2 of still another form of tray of thisinvention;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of the FIG. 7 tray;

FIG. 9 is a view like FIG. 2 of a lifth form of tray of this invention;and,

FIG. l0 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of the FIG. 9 tray.

In general, a convector space tray of this invention comprises aplurality of spaced metal ribs defining passageways for gas through thetray and having inner end por- Furthermore, this result is ob-v3,160,405 Patented Dec. 8, 1964 various trays disclosed and claimed inDailey Patent No.

2,489,012, for example, being readily adapted to lthis invention. Inaccordance with my preference,.however, trays disclosed and claimed inU.S.` Patent No. 2,607,577

are employed because of the important advantages af-k forded by thesetrays over those of the prior art.

In applying the present invention to a convector space tray such as thatillustrated in FIG. 2 of my aforesaid patent, an annular metal member orring 10 is disposed in central opening 11 defined by the inner ends ofribs 12 of tray T. Member 10 is narrower than ribs 12 and, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 hereof, is secured between the upper and lower edges ofribs 12 approximately along the medial line of tray T, being welded toinner hoop 13 of the tray. Thus secured in place, ring 10 is disposedfor engagement by lifting tongs which may be lowered through the trayand then adjusted for engagement with this ring as described in U.S.Patent No. 2,701,736.

By virtue of the welded attachment of ring 10 to the tray and by virtueof the fact that this ring is designed to support loads far in excess ofthe Weight of the tray itself, the tray and coils and trays stacked onit may be lifted and carried safely by lifting tongs in the mannerdescribed in said Patent No. 2,701,736.

The device of FIG. 3 comprises a convector space tray 20 made up of twosets of spaced, elongated, longitudinally-curved, metal ribs 21 vand ametal plate 23 disposed between the two sets of ribs. A metal ring 25 ofoutside diameter corresponding to the diameter of central transverseopening 26 defined by the inner ends of ribs 21 is Welded to said ribends to provide a strong and rugged construction for use with thelifting apparatus of said Patent No. 2,701,736.

The form` of the invention illustrated in FIG. 5 resembles that shown inFIG. l, tray 30 being substantially the same as tray T except for thefact that inner hoop 13 is eliminated. Thus the inner ends of ribs 12are notched or recessed in their mid-portions to receive a hoop tosecure the ribs in position with respect to each other. However, insteadof hoop 13 and ring 10 of FIG. 1, a single integral ring 32 is employedto serve both the purposes of said hoop and ring 10 and is welded inplace to the ends of ribs 12. Ring 32 is of Width or diameterapproximately the same as the aggregate Width'of hoop 13 and ring 10 andits thickness corresponds to that of said hoop so that the same strong,rugged construction is alforded in this embodiment of the invention asin the FIG. l device with the same advantages resulting.

The embodiment of this invention illustrated in FIG. 7 includes aconvector space tray 40, which is essentially the same as that shown inFIG. 2 of the aforesaid Dailey patent. Thus, tray 40 comprises aplurality of spaced metal ribs 41 defining passageways for gas throughthe tray, that is, from end to end of the ribs and having inner endportions which cooperate to define a central transverse opening 43through the tray. Additionally, a top plate 44 and a bottom plate 45 ofdisc-like form are provided, being Welded to the edges of ribs 41 andhaving centr-al openings 47 and 4S, respectively, in registry with eachother and with opening 43. In accordance with this invention, a ring 49of outside diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter ofplate 44 is disposed in opening 47 and is welded to plate 44 to providea means for engagement with the lifting device, as described above.

The FIG. 9 embodiment of this invention corresponds to that of the FIG.5 form, differing essentially in that top plate 52 is formed with aninwardly projecting annular flange 53- which is integral with thetopplate. Thus, this FIG. 9 device bears substantially thesame relation-to the FIG. 7 device of the invention as the FIG.

5 device bears to the FIG. 1 device, and the mode of operation andresults obtained in eachinstance are essentially the same in accordancewith this invention.

Having thus described the present invention so that those skilled in theart may be. able to gain a better understanding and practice lthe same,I state that what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is defined inwhat is claimed. c

What is claimed is: Y Y

1. A fabricated convector space tray comprising a lmetal ring, a set ofmetal ribs attached to said ring and defining passages for gas 110Wtherebetween, and lifting means comprising a metal annulus disposedwithin said ring, secured to said tray, and adapted to be engaged bylifting mechanism extending therethrough and to lift said i tray and aload thereon.

2. The combination of elements set forth in claim 1 in which the annulusis attached to the inner ends of said ribs.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,043,456 Watrous `ilne 9, 1936 l 2,137,869 y Woodson Nov. 22,19382,409,742 Dougherty Oct. 22, 1946 2,414,130 Wilson Jan. 14, 19472,414,996 Armstrong Jan. 28, 1947 2,489,012 Dailey NOV. 22, 19492,546,697' Munford Mar. 27, 1951 2,580,283 Cone Dec. 25, 1951 2,607,577Straub f Aug. 19, 1952 2,671,656 Winder Mar. 9, 1954 2,678,815 Radlinskif May 18, 1954

1. A FABRICATED CONVECTOR SPACE TRAY COMPRISING A METAL RING, A SET OFMETAL RIBS ATTACHED TO SAID RING AND DEFINING PASSAGES FOR GAS FLOWTHEREBETWEEN, AND LIFTING MEANS COMPRISING A METAL ANNULUS DISPOSEDWITHIN SAID RING, SECURED TO SAID TRAY, AND ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BYLIFTING MECHANISM EXTENDING THERETHROUGH AND TO LIFT SAID TRAY AND ALOAD THEREON.